Ship of Secrets
The Fifth Day of Elnu-eza (Elnu Ascendant), 1349 A. L. (After Landfall)
"Fair would be the world where all the eyes on us were well meant," you say at last. "But if we tried to cut out every eye that might belong to a foe than our foes would be legion uncounted." You point at the Marcella. "The ship can eat formless spirits of the depths, it would do us well to recall that others cannot and that alone may well be the very cause for which they watch us."
"You are wise, Sir Knight," Zaia says with a bow of the head, perhaps to hide a satisfied smile which he is certainly not above despite the guise of practiced detachment.
"I am a man accustomed to wearing a sword," you snort. "When I first came back to Verley, a knight with spurs new-forged, my father took me for a ride, not hunting in the woods and nor looking for bandits or scoundrels. He took me two days ride away from the keep where the banner of our House was not commonly seen, we'd rode into a village and took rooms at the local inn at eveningtime. Women pulled their children close and men measured us up from head to toe, their eyes on our swords, even the most lowly, even those who would not dare fight a man in armor save at desperate need still gave us those looks out of the corner of their eyes, if only so they might know when to flee. Twas that my father taught me. They didn't know us, but they knew what a sword can do. We are carrying a hell of a lot of swords these days and some of them are seen with the eyes of flesh and some of them not."
"Something to that maybe," Antonio says, looking at you a little strangely. "Still, wish the damn things would just scuttle on deck and ask for toll like sensible folk so I wouldn't have to sleep with one eye open and keep a list of what Zuan's old mouser was called growing up and how many living brothers and sisters his mother had..."
Now it's your turn to be bewildered it seems.
"So I can check if it's really them from time to time. I have a list of eleven questions for every sailor on my ship. Doesn't really matter if they tell the truth, just if they stay consistent. Might end up throwing someone in the hold for being forgetful one of these days, but I would sooner be thought crazy then be
known dead. "
"Dare I ask which ones you have for me?" you ask, amused and perturbed all at once. It does make sense in a way given what you know of powers that can take over men's bodies or by glamor take on their faces, but it is strange to know yourself weighed like that.
"If he just gave you the full list it would be less useful," Zaia notes. "In fact, it would have been most secure of all if you had not said anything about having lists at all."
"Aye, but you can make up your own lists, six eyes are better than two," the captain replies.
He is not getting my eyes, you say to yourself, though much to your surprise when you recount the whole thing to Esha later she calls it 'clever' and adds she 'might do something like that', then she returns to pointing out trees as you sail by and naming them in the Engur tongue, often with a little tale about the Tribe of Trees and their place in the world.
"The world is dim, the world is cold and most of the trees are cold of limb, but some still move and some still talk. Tis good to know them should you meet them on a moonlit night..." a nursery rhyme you would call it if you had not already seen a tree open eyes and walk under the light of common day. Thus you learn that pines are cold and bitter-hearted, that oak is wise and ash is brash and all the while new words, new twists of language.
The journey passes quick and though the wind is fierce and at times the rain lashes the ship like the wrath of winter past the one time when a storm is about to overcome you Inge marks it with plenty of time to look for a cove and shelter while it blows over.
What do you want to do next?
Social Stage 2/4
[] Antonio has some to the conclusion that he would feel safer wearing armor, teach him how to move and fight in it (1/2 Progress for Antonio gaining Light Armor proficiency)
[] Train the sailors to fight in a more organized manner (1/5 progress towards unlocking warrior levels for the sailors)
[] Try to teach the brighter of your men how to read and write (1/4 Progress towards basic literacy for your men at arms; ability to send basic messages)
[] Write in 
